A facility has cross-docking capacity when it is possible to unload goods or material from incoming trucks, trailers, or railcars and subsequently to transfer it to outgoing vehicles without interim storage. This is a common feature of transportation nodes as well as logistical facilities like warehouses. It enables products to travel efficiently from producers to retail sites while saving storage costs. Cross-docking areas can be used for sorting and consolidating goods.

The facility must allow transfer from incoming to outgoing vehicles without putting the goods into interim storage. Sorting and consolidation can take place during that transfer.

Ordinary loading and unloading capacity alone does not establish cross-docking if the goods must first enter storage. A warehouse can provide cross-docking alongside its separate storage operations.